The document was signed in Vukovar by the Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Montenegro, Miroljub Labus, and the Dutch Minister of Development, Agnes van Ardenne.
The Dutch government will donate slightly over 1.5 million euros for the purchase of a ferry, which is expected to resume service in the spring of 2006. The service was disrupted in the early 1990s when war broke out.
Thanking the Dutch government for the donation, Grabar-Kitarovic said that Croatia would continue strengthening the stability of the region and developing good neighbourly relations on its path to full membership of the European Union.
"This is not just about the importance of transport and possibilities for economic cooperation. This is a direct contribution to the process of reconciliation and understanding," the Croatian minister said.
Congratulating the Croatian government on the successful start of EU membership talks, Van Ardenne said that her country had been supporting Croatia for years on its path to the European Union.
Since the acceptance of Croatia's application for full EU membership in June 2004, trade between the Netherlands and Croatia has improved and now reaches 15 million euros a year, the Dutch minister said.
Commenting on the declaration, Van Ardenne said that by signing the document Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro undertook to open border crossings at Vukovar and Bac.
"Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia have recognised their future in the EU. We share the goal of becoming a part of the great European family of nations as soon as possible," Labus said, congratulating the Croatian government on the opening of EU accession talks.
Labus said that a speedy integration of Croatia would also speed up the integration of Serbia and the entire region into the EU. He stressed that Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia would not obstruct each other on that road, but would be "reliable allies".
In conclusion, Labus said he was personally very sorry about "the tragedy that was done to Vukovar," referring to the destruction of the town by Yugoslav army and Serb paramilitary forces at the start of the war in 1991.
"I want to believe that those who committed crimes will be justly punished regardless of their nationality," Labus said.
Before arriving in Vukovar, the Dutch minister visited the nearby Croatian town of Beli Manastir where she opened a production plant within a starch factory that is being built by Dutch company GP & Partners.